Stop press. I've been walking around with a big smile on my face and a spring in my step since yesterday afternoon. I had a call from the cafe where some of my drawings are on display. They sold three framed prints (of Orign 28, Origin 32 and Origin 34). This is the first time I've sold any of my artwork. Whoo hoo. The guy who owns the cafe says he's been getting a lot of great feedback about my drawings too. This is one happy little black duck.

Today is a milestone day for my drawing. I have just returned from delivering prints of six of my Origin series to a local cafe (the Lava Lounge in the Canberra business district of Phillip). They are hanging them and allowing me to have a little plaque with some information about how people can get in touch with me if they would like to buy prints. I have decided to do a limited edition series of what I think are the best of my Origin drawings (20 of each) and see how it goes. I am having them printed as giclee fine art prints in origial size (i.e about 30cm x 30cm). I am really pleased with how they look in square black frames with a black mat.

Phew. What a year. My art has mostly taken a back seat this year to work as I've thrown most of my energy into it. Personal creative exploits have been mostly in the background - relegated to the realm of therapeutic downtime and sanity reclamation.

My aspirations for 2013 would seem reasonably simple - to remain happy and healthy; to achieve change and to give more time to family and friends (often casualties of my way of being in this mad world). Oh yes, and to draw and paint a little more. The thing I should do more is read, but I seem to have a pathological resistance to doing so even though I actually like it and know the knowledge I gain will stimulate my creativity. Plenty of subconscious material behind that revelation for future analysis!

If you are one who believes in reincarnation, then you may also hold the belief that each time we return to the world we return with a purpose; to learn something we failed to grasp and assimilate into our being in our past lives - steps on the pathway to ascension. The seventh son of a seventh son once told me I needed to let go of my inhibitions - good advice then and still; even if challenging to action. In the realm of work I have no trouble, but when it comes to matters social and its intersection with creativity I seem a different being - not a risk taker; often stuck, but nonetheless wanting to belong. Someone slap around this ego please.

Now you have a little more context in which to view my art.

Lastly, I present to you some of the art here on DA that has captured my imagination in recent months. Enjoy and may 2013 be one of personal growth and achievement for all.

cheers

Steve

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Mature Content

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How nice to have a great piece of art I suggested accpeted as a Daily Deviation! It's been a long time between successful nominations.

It has been quite some time since my last journal entry - a symptom and consequence of the crazy intensity of my working life. Work has been all consuming in recent months with little time for leisure, art, family. You may have seen reports about the progress Australia is making on marine conservation. Perhaps the only constant has been morning walks with my Staffordshire cross, Elvis, but even then only when I've been in town. Recently we organised a creative expo at our office and that was a lot of fun. It's amazing what hidden talents lie in the workplace - cake decorators, macro nature photographers, wood carvers, scratch board artists, water colourists, embroiderers, sculptors, the list goes on. It has got me thinking about how we unleash all this creative talent in the workplace. Much food for thought on that front.

A long time too since I've shared what I'm liking here on DA, so here is a feature of some of the great art that has found its way into my favourites in recent months. Enjoy!

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